As is known, some types of gimbals can include sensors for collecting image and other data, as well as gyroscopes for maintaining an orientation of such sensors. Such gimbals are sometimes mounted to structures such as vehicles (e.g. airplanes, motor vehicles and marine vessels) in a rotatable fashion such that they can rotate about a gimbal axis (e.g. azimuth). In such circumstances, a rotatable gimbal support or mount structure can include slip ring assemblies for providing power and signal information to and from inertial components such as sensors and motors within the gimbal (e.g. through brush-ring coupling). Typically, these slip ring assemblies also provide for unlimited rotation of the gimbal (e.g. 360 degrees) about the gimbal axis with respect to the fixed structure or vehicle.
In many applications, such as where sensor information is in the form of high frequency and/or digital signals, the noise produced by conventional slip ring assemblies becomes unacceptable. However, given the need to allow for relative rotation between a gimbal and a structure to which it is mounted, one cannot simply replace the power and signaling provided through such slip ring assemblies with conventional shielded wires and cabling, especially within similar volumes used by slip ring assemblies. Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a solution that allows for relative rotation between structures such as gimbals while also allowing for the communication of power and signals to the gimbal.